Rumors swirl of buses dropping off migrants at Toms River, NJ motel

🚌 Unreliable Facebook page claims migrants dropped off at motel

🚌 Mayor and police say it's fake

🚌 "Some" migrants are staying in NJ

TOMS RIVER — Baseless rumors about dozens of migrants staying at a Motel 6 in Toms River are creating a firestorm on social media but local officials say it's not happening.

Several people said they went to the Motel 6 on Route 37 demanding answers after Jersey Coast Emergency News posted the reports on Facebook. The page says it is New Jersey's number one source for "providing news, laughs, and speaking the truth" but often posts unverified statements citing unnamed sources.

A photo of two buses at the motel was posted on Wednesday. However, there were no photos of migrants getting on or off the buses. JCEN reported that a motel worker said migrants were staying at the motel.

New Jersey 101.5 reached out to JCEN by email on Thursday. Nobody at the Motel 6 picked up the phone when New Jersey 101.5 called several times Thursday morning. Its voicemail mailbox was full.

Mayor and police say it's fake

Mayor Dan Rodrick, a Republican who took office in January, said the rumors were a hoax.

"It's my understanding that the entire thing was fake and the picture of these two empty buses were just drivers spending the night at a local hotel. Toms River will not accept buses of migrants from other states. The same Facebook page was responsible for several fake news posts. It is not a reliable source of news," Rodrick said.

Toms River police also said on social media that the rumors aren't true.

"The report of bus loads of immigrants being dropped off at Motel 6 was investigated and found to be just the 2 bus drivers staying the night between their regular shifts," police said.

"Some" migrants are staying in NJ

New Jersey communities have been on edge since busses carrying migrants began moving through the state to get to New York City last month.

Gov. Murphy asked for federal funding in late January after admitting that "some"  migrants were staying in the state. Still, the vast majority of migrants are only passing through New Jersey.

Similar rumors of migrants being housed at an AMC Theater in Mercer County ran rampant on social media earlier this month.

Hamilton Township Mayor Jeff Martin said to 94.5 PST that the rumors were false. He said the town is trying to use the closed movie theater for commercial development.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom